By Jennifer Wolfe, email jcwolfe@pacbell.net

When I first started teaching 11 years ago, I thought middle school would be challenging, but manageable. I soon found out that I had half of the equation right-middle schoolers were definitely challenging, but mostly unmanageable. Of course, there were the random children who just minded their teachers out of habit; they are the ones who actually raise their hands, do their homework, and bring their books.

Just when I was at the point where I wasn't sure what would work next, I was introduced to Jane Nelsen's book Positive Discipline. The subtitle, "A warm, practical, step-by-step sourcebook for parents and teachers" really spoke to me. After all, wasn't that we want to be as teachers-warm, positive, but still maintaining a practical form of discipline? I eagerly dove into the text, and as I reached the statement of "Where did we ever get the crazy idea that in order to make children perform better, we must first make them feel worse?" I knew that this was exactly what I needed. Ms. Nelsen believes that "a misbehaving child is a discouraged child", and as I began to implement her theory of logical consequences, I began to see that what I had been focusing on for discipline before was not working because I wasn't getting at what the REAL problem was. I didn't understand their point of view, and they weren't getting mine.

Now, Positive Discipline is my main classroom management method. For me, it combines just the right amount of nurturing with clear, firm expectations that I hold fast to. It allows me to put ownership of the behavior back onto the student, where it belongs. Life becomes manageable, yet challenging. So now when the students don't do their homework or bring their books (they ALL, of course, raise their hands!) they know that it is their choice, and they know exactly what to expect. Positive Discipline is a must read for any new teacher!